Just a quick check in from 30,000 feet.
I’m so thrilled to finally be on my way to Coachella today. So thrilled, I’m not sure you understand just how happy I am. Enough counting down, enough Refinery 29 music festival fashion slideshows, enough anticipation- I’m on my way.
The music starts on Friday. Until then I will be hanging out in Los Angeles and Palm Springs with some of my best buds, just getting in the spirit.
Have a lovely weekend, Washingtonians. Don’t miss out on those gorgeous cherry blossoms and enjoy the (finally) seasonable weather.
from the coachella.com gallery
Unless you’ve been living under a rock the size of the planet Earth, you’ve heard of Coachella. Every spring images and updates from festival attendees probably jam your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds. For years, I have lived that life. You know, the one where you like your friends’ posts sullenly and enviously from your work computer as you wrestle with expense reports and emails. Meanwhile, they’re off in a California desert swaying to the beat of a band you’ve maybe-heard-of-somewhere-sometime in some ridiculous, yet amazing outfit that would never see the light of day in D.C.
You try to tell yourself you don’t want to be there. It’s soo mainstream nowadays, yeah? Way too much money to stand in a field all day, right? You’re an adult now with real responsibilities and priorities, mmhmm?
Just typing that was so depressing. Of course I wanted to go. So, for the first time this year, I’ll get to be one of the lucky bazillion people who will be contributing to your FOMO. If you want to keep up with me as I cross over to the other side, link up with me on twitter or Instagram. No matter where I am online you can find me with the username Nikolenka.
Let the countdown begin! And please join me in willing Daft Punk to make a surprise appearance Weekend One!
Don’t have the time or money to fly out to one of the big music festivals this year? Prefer to pack your concert hopping into one spring day instead of three? The folks at sweetgreen have the solution for you in the form of the Sweetlife Music + Food Festival which will be May 11th, 2013, at the Merriweather Post Pavilion. Personally, I’m unreasonably excited to see Gary Clark Jr., Kendrick Lamar, and scope out whatever Solange is wearing. Tickets go on pre-sale this morning at 10am. You’ll want to follow @sweetgreen on instagram for the purchase code. Rock on.
twitpic via @heather_church
In the spirit of trying out all things new, Friday I happened upon an available ticket to go see Swedish electronic dance music DJ Avicii spin at the DC Armory. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, his songs probably will. This year Avicii is up for a Grammy for Best Dance Record for his track “Levels.”
The Armory is easily the most massive event venue I have been to in my life. The place hosts all kinds of events from roller derbies to inauguration balls, but it’s often transformed into a cavernous party palace by the folks at Club Glow. The space holds up to 10,000 people at once and by midnight it was playing host to an impressive crowd. Interesting to see one DJ control an entire dancing mob of thousands in a space more akin to an airplane hangar than a club.
The show was a blast as much for the music, lights, $12 drinks in battery-powered plastic cups that flashed neon colors from the bottoms, as for the sheer exuberance of the friends I was with. Who needs Ecstasy when you have love and silly outfits?
Dressing the part for Avicii
Extra special shout out to @prfectlyeventful for putting me on.
That’s me rocking fresh bangs, but chilling in my comfort zone with a little black dress. 2013 is for new things and lots more color! Make room, make room.
So now that I’ve eased into 2013 and given myself some time to consider what I want to focus on. Here are the things I want to focus on this year. I wouldn’t call them resolutions exactly, but I want to be heading in the direction of making these things happen, big and small.
2013 Intentions:
-Make sure my money is going where I want to be; i.e., travel, savings, etc.
-Spend more time with friends and family in NY, Miami, and the Caribbean.
-Say yes to having new experiences more often and, here’s the kicker, don’t worry about it!
-Keep with a regular meditation practice.
-Health and fitness, blah blah blah.
-Listen to new music.
-Put some semblance of a five year plan together.
-Wear more color.
-Appreciate everything.
-Take more risks.
-Do more for others.
I’m starting off the year with both a new Kerry Washington-inspired ‘do and a couple adventures on the horizon- a quick work trip to Vegas, tickets to Coachella in the spring, then BVI again this summer. I have so many things to love about 2013 already. I’m just ready to get after it.
I’m taking a little blog break for now. Connect with me on Twitter, @nikolenka, if you’d like to keep up with me while I’m not posting.
Happy holidays!
Everybody out there is an expert on something. For some people, it’s nuclear engineering. For others, maybe it’s how to develop sophisticated computer programs. I happen to know how to make it through a hurricane. Which is lucky for you if you happen to be in the supposed path of Hurricane Sandy, aka FRANKENSTORM.
Before you believe a single thing I say, you may want to hear about my credentials. Basically, my only qualification is that I’m a Floridian through and through. As such, I’ve ridden out more storms than I can count. The wind, the rain, the danger . . . we eat it for breakfast. Floridians get a bad rap for all the crazies that our state produces; to name a couple: Casey Anthony, the burn the Koran guy. But for what we lack in sanity, we make up for in bravery and storm preparedness.
Here’s my honest-to-goodness-list of what you need to do and get before the storm:
1. Keep your electronics charged. Kindle, ipad, phone, you’re going to need a full battery if the power goes out.
2. A storm buddy. Unless you are a real lone wolf, you don’t want to be stuck inside for days by yourself. If you live alone, agree to have a friend come over to watch movies, braid your hair, or do whatever it is you like to do when you get really bored. Don’t forget the wine/beer.
3. A project. This is a great time to reorganize your closet or write that novel length performance review for work.
4. Food and water. (Duh.) If you live in the burbs, or some other location that Pepco doesn’t seem particularly concerned about, you could be without power so make sure you have things you can make without electricity. Pop tarts come to mind.
5. Candles. Sexy and practical.
6. Your wits. This is the most important. Keep your wits about you. The local and national news are doing their best to freak us all out about this storm. But with a little common sense, we’ll all be fine. Make sure you’re in a place that’s up to code and not prone to flooding. For instance, if you live in a Bloomingdale basement, I’d just pack up my valuables, email my landlord, and volunteer to be someone’s storm buddy in a highrise apartment building.
Good luck, everybody. In lots of places people are less prepared and have fewer defenses against severe weather. If you would like to donate to international storm relief efforts, you can do so here. I hope no one’s apartment actually gets flooded and no one gets hurt. Have magical storm parties and donate generously. Be safe!
Watch Women Are Not the Problem, They Are the Solution on PBS. See more from Independent Lens.
It’s been almost two weeks since I watched this documentary, Half the Sky, and its heroes haven’t strayed far from my mind since. Check out the trailer, track it down online, give it some thought, and ask yourself what you can do.
“Let me talk like an old man. Young people, be careful. Beautiful things are disappearing everyday. Be careful.…You don’t need to be [shopping at fast-fashion stores], especially young people. They are beautiful naturally, because they are young. So they should even wear simple jeans and a T-shirt. It’s enough. Don’t be too much fashionable.…The brand advertising is making you crazy. You don’t need to be too sexy. You are sexy enough.” – Yohji Yamamoto
Shopping on etsy.com can be overwhelming. It’s a brilliant site for artists, designers, and others with the creative jonesings to bring their wares to the internet market. Anyone with the desire and the technical skills of a school kid can set up a virtual shop and just like that they’re in business. It’s seriously genius, but for shoppers the experience can be a bit much if you don’t know where to look. Enter Santoki Vintage.
This shop is owned and operated by a friend of mine that I met in Moscow. She’s a native Texan and we met and became fast friends exploring all the Russian capital had to offer late one summer several years back. I admired her sense of style and fun back then. It’s been amazing to watch her grow her online vintage clothing business in the time since we were college kids running around one of the most fascinating cities in the world. On top of having a killer eye for style, she’s just a doll. And she’s a pro, too. I can’t say enough good things. I love Russia for introducing me to all these awesome people I wouldn’t have met otherwise. And I love fashion for creating another link for me and so many friends to share as a passion.
Before Etsy became The Spot for online shopkeepers, she was selling the vintage numbers she carefully hunted for using Ebay.com. She’s got clothes, shoes, handbags and more up there. The inventory is ever-changing, so bookmark the url or save it to your Favorite Shops on the site. It’s so, so worth it.
Vintage Cream Lace Maxi Dress, available from Santoki Vintage on etsy
I totally want that cream lace maxi dress so I can use it to construct a Downton Abbey-inspired Halloween dress worthy of Lady Mary Crawley herself.
Santoki Vintage’s URL: http://santokivintage.etsy.com
The shop is also on Twitter as @santokivintage. She doesn’t tweet spam or self-promotional mumbo jumbo, so follow away. She does post shop news and features some of the best items.
